The Do It Yourself Corner Fireplace - Ventless Gel Style

Fireplaces somehow became my specialty. I started out with framing homes, building decks and designing additions. But, I did start coming up with some pretty interesting fireplace designs after I discovered the Ventless Gel Fireplace firebox and insert. You can literally do anything when you have those two things.

One evening, I received a call from a friend of mine in West Virginia. He had an idea for a fireplace and he knew exactly where he wanted to put it. He loved my idea of Ventless Gel Fireplaces, but this one was going to have to be a Do It Yourself job. I made plans and took the trip down to see what he was talking about.

He had a beautiful log cabin in the mountains. It was complete with cedar wood plank floors and brick walls on the inside. But, the outside was your natural looking log cabin you fall in love with when you vacation in the Appalachians. That rustic look that just makes you want to stay and never leave.

When I finally arrived, we talked for a bit and I got a feel for what he was thinking about. Then, he showed me the corner where he wanted it placed. I looked at a picture he presented me and immediately I got the idea.

He wanted a Ventless Gel Fireplace, but he wanted a specialized deal. The fireplace he had designed sat at an angle in the corner and it had a shaft that ran to the ceiling. He said he wanted it to be made of concrete and I knew what I needed to do.

I can't say this enough but designing your own Ventless Gel Fireplace is really rather easy and it's quite fun too. You get the fireplace experience without the mess, the fumes or the sparks. But, you don't have to build a chimney or a hearth. And I could understand why he would want it that way. If you looked at how beautiful his floors and his walls were, you'd understand too that he didn't want anything destroyed. It just missed a fireplace.

I was on the phone ordering supplies and he was surprised to see the bottom line. It wasn't that expensive at all when you do things my way. I'm going to say this now and you'll most likely hear it out of me again, but don't ever let a project overwhelm you. There is a simple solution for everything.

My firebox and fireplace insert was delivered to him within a week. When I heard that it had arrived, I made another trip to West Virginia to finish the job. He was really surprised when he heard that he would have the fireplace he had envisioned in just one day.

The first job in building the corner fireplace was to begin with the frame. In framing the unit, I would use two different types of material. Wood for the firebox itself and wire for the shaft reaching to the ceiling.

The wood frame would be built to hold the firebox and inserts. I don't have any fear of building a wooden frame when I know that I am going to be placing a Ventless Gel Fireplace firebox and insert inside. The safest fireplace solution ever, I have nothing to fear.

The wooden frame will sit angled in the corner. There is technical jargon for what angle it should sit and how to measure, but I'm sure you know what I mean. If you plan on attempting anything like this, digital equipment works best. Digital protractors and digital levels used together can give you the exact angles you need.

The frame for the shaft wasn't that hard. I used wire to create a structure that funneled to the ceiling. Then, I used wire mesh to give myself something to play with when I was ready to create the shaft. Here's the kicker!

I've always said to look at the project and don't let it overwhelm you. Find an easy solution to every problem. Instead of using cement like he wanted, I talked him into an easier and a more cost effective solution. I grabbed some drywall compound and I made my client a shaft. It was that easy.

The wire mesh held the compound in place until it dried. I actually thought it looked good when it was finished. It had a rough texture to it like stucco patterns on the ceiling. But, my client wanted a smooth finish. So, out came the sand paper.

And that is all it took to build my client a corner fireplace he had in his mind. In fact, he said it was exactly what he had envisioned. I just said, and I'll say it again, look at a project for how easy it is. Nothing is too hard. Don't let a job overwhelm you because anything can be done if you just look for the solution.

Jessica Brylan has been a student of construction all her life, under her father who retired in 2004. Her passion strangely enough turned to the design and structure of the fireplace. You can look forward to her newest publication, Pros and Cons of Ventless Gel Fireplaces after it's scheduled to publish soon.